Jean & John
Level 1 (12 points)
iCloud

Q: my iMac starts beeping and I can't find out why

At about the same time for the last two nights the iMac21" starts beeping.  Slow at first then it speeds up and then it stops.   I can't seem to pinpoint the source but it seems to be comming from the iMac and not from the speakers or the headphones, they were pluged in at the time.  Help it is driving me crazy.

iMac, Mac OS X (10.7.3), 21 "

Posted on Feb 14, 2012 10:28 PM

by Jean & John,Solvedanswer
Jean & John Jean & John
Level 1 (12 points)
iCloud
A:

Ok...solved my beeping problem.   I turned on activity monitor, when the beeping started there was no activity shown.  So I had to wait until 10 pm the next night to try to determine where the infernal beeping was comming from, I was getting frustrated.  Went to bed and could not stop thinking about it.  You know how that goes..  I mentioned to my spouse that it sounded like some kind of alarm or something.  The lightbulb came on and he went to the digital ScioScan clock on the wall, you know the ones that get the atomic signal to keep time.  Some how when he was messing with it a few nights ago he had activated the alarm function.     YEA!!!  Problem solved, no more beeping.

Posted on Feb 20, 2012 1:57 PM

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Jean & John

Q: my iMac starts beeping and I can't find out why

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  • Helpful answers

  • by X423424X,

    X423424X X423424X Feb 14, 2012 10:50 PM in response to Jean & John
    Level 6 (14,237 points)
    Feb 14, 2012 10:50 PM in response to Jean & John

    Is this when you start a boot?  If so, see this:

     

    Power On Self-Test Beep Definition - Part 2

  • by Jean & John,

    Jean & John Jean & John Feb 15, 2012 8:47 AM in response to X423424X
    Level 1 (12 points)
    iCloud
    Feb 15, 2012 8:47 AM in response to X423424X

    No it is not at start up.  I usually leave it on most of the time.  Seems to be at about 10pm ish.  It has happened twice now and I have not found any programs running in the background.  How can I find out what is running other than command+control+escape?

  • by iCare,Helpful

    iCare iCare Feb 15, 2012 9:04 AM in response to Jean & John
    Level 4 (1,826 points)
    iLife
    Feb 15, 2012 9:04 AM in response to Jean & John

    Do you possibly have a cat that is walking across the keyboard causing the beeping?

     

    Do you have a calendar event set in iCal or some other calendar or alarm application?

     

    Although it can be somewhat cryptic at times, you can use the Activity Monitor application to find out what processes are running. Maybe you have a utility or

    other application installed that is generating the beeps. Viewing the CPU processes as shown below you may see a process that you can't explain. Many are necessary for the system, but if you see something unusual try googling the name to see if you can find out more about it.

     

    Screen Shot 2012-02-08 at 1.33.57 PM.png

  • by Jean & John,

    Jean & John Jean & John Feb 15, 2012 3:37 PM in response to iCare
    Level 1 (12 points)
    iCloud
    Feb 15, 2012 3:37 PM in response to iCare

    Thanks I wil try the activity monotor tonight.  No cat here though.

  • by Jean & John,Solvedanswer

    Jean & John Jean & John Feb 20, 2012 1:57 PM in response to Jean & John
    Level 1 (12 points)
    iCloud
    Feb 20, 2012 1:57 PM in response to Jean & John

    Ok...solved my beeping problem.   I turned on activity monitor, when the beeping started there was no activity shown.  So I had to wait until 10 pm the next night to try to determine where the infernal beeping was comming from, I was getting frustrated.  Went to bed and could not stop thinking about it.  You know how that goes..  I mentioned to my spouse that it sounded like some kind of alarm or something.  The lightbulb came on and he went to the digital ScioScan clock on the wall, you know the ones that get the atomic signal to keep time.  Some how when he was messing with it a few nights ago he had activated the alarm function.     YEA!!!  Problem solved, no more beeping.